Immigrant

Re: # 11
A thing Ali might realize when he returns.

He himself mentions that he sees mansions being built along side the bitter poverty. It seems you went to the US to assimilate money and now miss showing it off! Yes, I am right! And now feeling sad about your homeland is one good excuse to return. Well, I dont think you get better health-care for senior citizens anywhere except in the West; even if parental care is you issue.

Rampant corruption, violation of basic rights, nepotism, material competition are just a few things that are so distasteful about living here. I seriously dont think that people who got `connections` should be given any benefit over people who dont! Its just pure mis-use.

You said...
Despite all this there is an abundance of community, family and friends. People always seem to have time to chat or have a cup of tea. One rarely feels alone or isolated and there is a healthy feeling of ‘connectedness’.

Well, a clear reason you are comming back for some real time R&R (relaxation and recreation). Sit around, procrastinate, shout at the naoker, beat your children up, drive an expensive import, own a big house; few things that are so very common in the west that you dont feel privilaged or powerful over there.

If this nation needs to get somewhere, out of the problems that we already host, we need to shed the mindset that we manifest, and get up on our feet and get working.

Re: # 27 by Nadia_Zehra,

Well, you`re sorta quoting someone, and it`s only appropriate to quote it the way s/he said it.

Secondly, have you ever read the word `inti` (as in feminine `you` in Arabic) in the Quran while referring to Allah, as opposed to `unta` - masculine `you` in the same language?

M`asSalaam,

ntsyed :-)~~

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Re: #28 by BeeJay

Dear BeeJay,

Lest I make it an Oscar speech, thank you for everything!

I`ll try to remember your suggested icons.

Thanks again,

ntsyed ():==>(|) ~~~~~~

Dear NTSyed sahib:

After considering the posts #25, and #26 with all the seriousness that’s due to them, I understand your rationale for the icon that you use. However, since variety is the essence of life (or so some say), I would like to suggest a few alternative icons (just for an occasional change in pace) which will still not detract much from the original message that you wish to convey (please make sure to lean your head back a little when looking at these).

Happy:

():==>(|) ~~~~~~

Mad (as in “angry”):

(~):==>(:) ~~~~~~

When forced to be quiet (for example, if so ordered by spouse):

():==>(+) ~~~~~~

Note: I just visited your interactor’s page for the first time and I think it’s nicely written. All the best to you, and may this beard flow smoothly over the long haul! :)

Sincerely,
BeeJay

Re # 26:

s/he kehnay mai.n kiya Harj hai :)

Re: # 25

Nadia_Zehra:

I`m glad you like the icon. Thank you! However, you`re a bit off-mark with your `andaza`. The darhi is getting there sans curls, pagri, surma, and latha as I do not associate with any specific group beyond Muslim.

There`s only One Allah, and one Islam which started with Adam (pbuh) and completed with the Quran on Mohammad (pbuh); and it will remain so till the end of time. And that`s the only one I strive to follow. But that`s just me.

You`re right about my mashghooliat though. It`s an innate requirement of all, so why not be mashghool with something that may help myself and others here and in the hereafter.

nt = abbr of name


BTW, did Ali (a.s) used the `he/she`, or you added the she yourself?


M`asSalaam,

ntsyed :-)~~

Wah #23

``MeiN ne apnay iraadoN ki shikast se apnay khuda ko pehchana``.
-beautiful

This is my favorite code of life from Nehjul Blagha:

I have come to know him/her by dismisal of my deeds...Ali(a.s)

waisay:
ntsyed ki dari wala icon say andaza hota hai aik sabz pagri wala jis ki 4 inch ki curly baloo wali darhi hai ankhoo mai.n surma aur safaid latha pehan kar chowk interacts mai.n mashghool hai.
Indeed this icon of nt syed is hilarious.
by the way what is nt:
-abbr of name
-new technology
-anti pun

Re: # 23 by shobig_sifar

[``MeiN ne apnay iraadoN ki shikast se apnay khuda ko pehchana``]

Wah...I could never put it so eloquently :-)~~

Tasleemaat muhtaram, jazak-Allah for your zarf and appreciation!

M`asSalaam,
ntsyed :-)~~

Re: # 22 [I thoroughly enjoy all He has given me as well as what He has kept from me]

keeping some is essential right, since indeed ``MeiN ne apnay iraadoN ki shikast se apnay khuda ko pehchana``. Great posts muhtaram, thanks for them.

regards

Re: # 21

miriamk,

Nice to hear from you too. Indeed, long time no see. I hope all is well with you and your loved ones, insha Allah.

As always, your flattery is appreciated. I`m glad your headache is not caused by reading my previous post; I hope this post doesn`t change that :P~~

Depression - it`s a common effect of the 3 Ds, severity of which is inversely propotional to one`s faith in Allah; i.e. the intesity of depression increases as the faith recedes.

Blessings - Bite your tongue sis...whatever gave you the impression I don`t enjoy my blessings?

My reflecting on my existence, every thing and experience Allah blessed me with, and where it all leads me does not happen at the expense of my enjoyment of the blessings He has Bestowed on me. I thoroughly enjoy all He has given me as well as what He has kept from me ;-)~~

In fact, as per my meager knowledge both activities are wonderful acts of gratitude and worship as well.

The shortness of this life makes it even more important for us to think about our next stop, and how do we wish to get off there...if you know what I mean :-)~~

M`asSalaam,
ntsyed ;-)~~

Ntsyed Saheb:
#17

Long time no see/argue!! Good to see you’re in top form sir :).

Death, Divorce, Destruction. Yay sub kiya hai. You forgot the 4th “D”; the inevitable “Depression” resulting from thinking about all this morbidity. I’m going to need an avalanche of tylenol just to alleviate the headache descending upon me from writing about this.

Please don’t tell me you sit and think about this stuff. Arey Ntsyed Saheb life is too short as it is, enjoy your blessings and be happy. Fate will catch up with us without any encouragement at all.

Shooooobig:
#20

:)

Re: # 19 hein ji? hamaray zamanay mein tau chaar deewaarein, aik chhatt, aik adad neik-perween khatoon, aur aik darjan nikkay nikkay bachay...ye ghar hota tha buss! ye aap ne kia bana daala, ghazab Khuda ka. :)

Temp:
#10

“ghar kya hay?”

ghar yay hay:

“Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserve; it is life’s undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room, from which we go forth to more careful and guarded intercourse, leaving behind us much debris of cast-off and everyday clothing.”

Harriet Beecher Stowe

So “mind over matter”? Chalain…aaj aap ki baat maan hi laitay hain ;).

14,

dullay,

i used to think 100,000 cash was enough. with the rising costs, now it is around 250,000.

over the weekend i talked to my relatives. they are making several times more in India, than I am in the US. they want me to return.

a small house in chd is now $200,000. - mohali 1 canal kothi is at least 125,000.

people don`t talk in lakhs anymore; they are talking in crores.
my chances appear slim :-(( but there is hope and none knows what tommorrow will bring.

I think we make our lives more complicated and difficult than it has to be. Commonly, we lose sight of the fact that all we have will not be with us forever. Money, respect, family, friends, conveniences and everything in this life are here and gone tomorrow through death, divorce, and destruction - the three unpredicatable realities of life.

One has to maintain a proper perspective according to the specific paradigm. Live like a mortal in a mortal world - be prepared to die and lose everyone and everything at any given moment, and one will never have a problem big enough to surmount. Forget about death, divorce and destruction, and one keeps chasing shadows to live long and make this life as comfortable as possible, but the goal keeps moving farther away.

The most common contradiction I`ve noticed among the Pakistani expatriates, is that in Pakistan they take more granted than they should and are not willing to fight for their rights. Yet, in the west they do not take anything for granted and are willing to fight for the same rights. They have this misconception that truth does not prevail in Pakistan. In spite of endemic corruption at every level, truth always prevails if one is willing to stand up for it because Allah always helps such individuals.

Sure, there are problems here; but is the west so problem free?

It`s a trade-off between one set of problems with another :-)~~

In my case, being truthful to Allah, myself, and my family, I have yet to encounter a problem big enough to make me go nuts. In fact, with patience and perseverance, it ALWAYS works out better for me and my family. And no, I`m not from a ``well connected family``, nor do I possess considerable wealth, in fact none at all in material terms.

And yes, I`ve been robbed; my family members shot in broad daylight robbery; harassed for bribes by the police, higher-ups and clerks in public and private sectors, the whole works. But like everything else, it`s all temporary. These criminal elements follow a simple prudent line, don`t make a martyr out of a simple nobody who`s only trying to obey Allah without hurting anyone. So, on every occassion I made it clear to them that I will not displease Allah regardless of the earthly consequences, they simply relented and vanished.

Having lived in the west where my children were born and raised until we abandoned it, and had seen rainy, dry, sunny and properous days, I had perfect excuse to abandon Pakistan and roots forever. But I consider it an ostrich approach to real life, which can end at any second, and an escape through chicken exit. So, I sought Allah`s help to tough it out, and Alhumdolillah He has helped us more than we expected.

It`s a fear of Allah vs fear of discomfort/despots/deviants/lack of material/and what have you thing.

If one worries and strives for the only and the predictable eternal future - the hereafter, and lives this unpredictable mortal life on earth according to that goal, then all problems become manageable. Like everything else in life, the only condition is that one must make a sincere effort and try to live this life the way Allah has prescribed in the Quran and the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) perfectly exemplified for us. Because life & death, sustenance, and respect come only from Allah; whether one believes in Him or not.

Otherwise, have fun running around in an endless maze and dying somewhere in the middle; `cause there`s no end to material comfort and greed as the maze keeps getting longer and shadows always remain ahead.

Very articulate!

Liked the way you highlighted the pros and cons and breifly summed up the factors that imepell individuals both to migrate as well as to return home.

In my view, it is the long-term planning that could help a person to take appropriate steps at any stage in his/her life, and his resolution to stick to it. Agreed, as you mentioned, fate plays a major role, but as Aazaad would say `fuqdaan-i-himmat ka naam hai qismat` (lack of courage is named as fate); the lack either of planning or resolution/steadiness also manipulates life to a great extent. For example, as long as a person is a single expatriate, for study or money-making purposes, and on his own, it should not be that tough a task for him to return whenever he feels is the right time. But a slight misjudgement; an attempt to accommodate his family with him initially with an intension to return after a while, or him being overwhelmed by material lust could lead to the pershing of all his ambitions; and the result, a perpetual perplexity that you rightly portrayed here.

Also, no doubt there are innumerable flaws in our system and society, but our actual dilemma is that the people who are blessed with the potential and craving to bring a little change to it on the positive high, either let it take over their enthusiasm and give in...or they escape out of it!

regards

You wonder about the mysterious Chowk staff?
Here is one.
http://www.ourmedia.org/node/16572

C.